Simona AG (Germany)

We are proud and privileged to represent SIMONA in Southern Africa and have access to its full range of products, many of which we carry as standard stock in our various warehouses located in and accessible to all major centers in Southern Africa

SIMONA was founded in 1857 by Carl Simon Söhne as a leather processing business in Kirn, Germany. By its 50th anniversary year, SIMONA had achieved global success, employing more than 1,200 people at its plants in Kirn, Rokitzan (Bohemia) and Madras (India) and was a company of global repute. However, by the end of the Second World War the European leather industry had totally collapsed – creating a full-scale crisis for SIMONA. Reinventing itself, SIMONA sought out new lines of business – and found them in the plastics industry.

Between1980’s and 2000 SIMONA expanded dramatically. Besides establishing subsidiaries throughout Europe, England, Hong Kong, Shanghai and a production and sales office in Pennsylvania, USA, it became a stock corporation listed in the General Standard of the Frankfurt stock exchange.

Today SIMONA AG is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of engineered thermoplastic products, with production facilities and sales offices around the globe. Its team of over 1,300 employees brings together best-in-class expertise and an unrivalled passion for customer service, while its portfolio of 35,000 plus items represents one of the most extensive and diverse engineered plastic product ranges worldwide. Annual production exceeds 100,000 tonnes. SIMONA’s product portfolio includes semi-finished products, pipes and fittings as well as finished parts. The range of semi-finished products consists of sheets, rods, profiles and welding rods. Displaying superior resistance to aggressive chemicals, these products are used for a wide range of applications, with particular emphasis on chemical tank and equipment engineering. Other key areas in which SIMONA’s high-performance plastics are used include mechanical engineering, automotive applications, life sciences, structural engineering and advertising.

SIMONA pipes and fittings are mainly deployed for the utility and waste disposal industry as well as landfill engineering. In addition, its piping systems have become highly sought after as solutions for cutting-edge industrial applications. SIMONA’s excellent processing technology, quality and best-in-class technical service have been inextricably linked with the SIMONA name for the last 150 years.

Beyond its comprehensive range of standardised products, SIMONA has also developed customised solutions tailored to the requirements of virtually any application imaginable, catering for:

One of the key factors in favour of using plastics in plant construction is their very good resistance to a large number of aggressive chemicals. With sheets and pipes made of PE 100, PP, PVC, PVDF and E-CTFE we supply an extensive range of materials to match highly demanding applications in the chemical process industry and help to counteract damage due to corrosion. Almost every field of industrial production involves the use of materials and substances which, in a concentrated form, pose a risk to human health and the environment. At the same time, the processes involved are becoming increasingly complex. The emphasis is on ever-greater efficiency and compliance with exacting safety standards. Fluids containing electrolytes attack materials such as steel as they undergo electrochemical reactions. SIMONA supplies premium-quality, chemically resistant thermoplastics that help to extend the service life of equipment and, above all, improve operational safety.

Agricultural systems based on thermoplastics offer efficient solutions in many respects. In drought-prone regions, plastic piping and drainage systems can reduce irrigation costs and increase crop yields. Fixed and mobile tanks for storing and transporting liquids, as well as silos or breeding tanks, are not just a cost-effective alternative to traditional materials like steel, they are also easy to clean and resistant to incrustation and pesticide residues. SIMONA® thermoplastics are especially popular in the food sector thanks to their high abrasion and chemical resistance, impact strength, food grade certification and UV stability, and are used e.g. in chain guides and conveyor belts.

SIMONA® thermoplastics are used particularly in demanding sectors like power and environmental engineering. The efficient conversion of biogas to electricity is one way of mastering the challenges of the future and making practical use of organic waste materials. PE 100 pipes and fittings are used as components in biogas plants, facilitating environmentally compatible energy recovery through the fermentation of biomass. Energy conversion in power plants that use mechanical, thermal, chemical or electrical transformation processes to produce electricity for use by industrial consumers or households is another resource-saving form of energy Recycling.

Our society as a whole is faced with the global challenge of having to safeguard mobility, while conserving valuable resources. Owing to their low weight, plastics are the perfect material for many fields of application. This includes the aviation industry, where plastics can make a considerable contribution when it comes to reducing aircraft fuel consumption. So-called lightweighting has also been embraced by the automotive industry as a way to produce more efficient vehicles. SIMONA has been making its own contribution in the form of multilayer polyethylene sheets that are thermoformed to create a high-quality fuel tank. The result: a tank that is lighter than a conventional steel component and meets the strictest emissions standards.

Supplying clean water to the population is one of the major challenges for the future. For safe and loss-free supply of drinking water we offer top-quality piping systems with DVWG/SVWG approval. High flexibility and resistance coupled with a high level of functionality are the main features of SIMONA® waste-water pipe systems. Their light weight and their reliable methods of connection make installation easy and economical. By contrast with traditional materials they take away waste water without causing any harm, i.e. without letting it leak and seep into the ground in an uncontrolled manner. Across the entire water cycle, SIMONA offers reliable and economical comprehensive piping systems from a single source

Plastics found their way into the health and leisure sector many years ago. Today, sport without plastics would quite simply be unimaginable. Professional sports paved the way for plastics at a broader level. Gone are the days when boats and paddles were made of wood. Plastics have emerged as a superior choice thanks to their lower weight and excellent stability.

Whether for stadium boards and perimeter systems, sports obstacles, ice rinks or swimming pool linings, engineers have been able to come up with a range of innovative ideas in recent years. In doing so, they have opened up new opportunities for thermoplastics. SIMONA offers a number of high-end products tailored to the requirements of specific applications in this field. They include PE FOAM, twin-wall sheets and EcoIce® for use in the sport and leisure industry. In the area of health care, SIMONA’s SIMOLIFE product group includes an extensive range of solutions and products tailored to the specific requirements of the orthopaedics sector. Using certified raw materials, SIMONA manufacture premium-quality products that meet the highest standards applicable within the health care sector.

SIMONA® Semi-Finished Parts are in strong demand within the advertising and construction industries. The emphasis in these sectors is on compact and foamed PVC sheets. At the same time, sheets made of PETG, foamed PE and PP as well as sheets and pipes engineered from compact PE offer a number of advantages in this line of business.

Tailored to the requirements of the advertising industry, SIMONA’s sheets combine the benefits of an attractive appearance and excellent processing capabilities. As a result, they provide plenty of scope for creativity. They are suitable not only for conventional screen printing but also for state-of-the-art digital printing. What is more, they can be used to create various types of display components. Boasting exceptional deep-drawing and hot-forming properties, as well as a wide range of other processing methods, they are also acknowledged as a high-quality solution for applications in the construction sector. Thanks to their rigidity and low weight, SIMONA® PE, PP and PVC Foam Sheets are particularly popular in the area of structural engineering, boatbuilding, port construction and exhibition design. SIMONA’s development and production units are highly flexible in their approach – the perfect basis for customised solutions.

The modernisation of dilapidated infrastructures is a huge challenge which SIMONA products can help you to resolve, for example, using piping systems with a long service life. With its PE 100 pipes, fittings and shaft structures for water supply and wastewater disposal systems, SIMONA offers a comprehensive product range to meet your infrastructure challenges. The products, which can be flexibly connected with one another, safely discharge sewage and combined wastewater and protect drinking water wells from harmful wastewater. SIMONA® Piping Systems offer reliable transport and protection solutions for use in infrastructure. As durable transport piping for water supply and wastewater disposal, abrasion-proof piping for backfill or corrosion protection for steel bridge cables, high-quality SIMONA thermoplastics are suitable for use in a diverse range of applications.

On the SIMONA website, you will find full details and guidance on all SIMONA products, such as:

SIMONA® MATERIALS

In general, material properties determine which plastics are used in which field of application. SIMONA offers a comprehensive range of materials from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (E-CTFE). Special soot particles are added to the above-mentioned materials, thus making them electrically conductive. What is more, the key characteristics of the various plastics remain unchanged. The following list provides a brief overview of the respective properties:

– Polyethylene (PE-HD) PE-HD combines high strength and good rigidity with efficient processing characteristics. The operating temperature range extends from -20°C to +80°C. PE-HD has a good chemical resistance and a high stress-crack resistance to many organic and inorganic media.

– SIMONA® PE-EL (electrically conductive PE-HD) has the following properties:

High resistance to UV rays

Temperature range from -20 to +80°C

Good impact strength

Normal flammability

Weldable

Suitable for hot forming and deep drawing

– Polypropylene (PP-H) In comparison with PE-HD, PP-H possesses a higher level of rigidity, particularly in the upper operating temperature range (up to +100°C). Good chemical resistance as well as high stress-crack resistance to many organic and inorganic media are additional features of PP-H.

– SIMONA® PP-EL (electrically conductive PP-H) has the following properties:

High chemical resistance

Normal flammability

Weldable

Suitable for hot forming and deep drawing

Satisfactory resistance to UV rays

Alongside electrically conductive PP-EL, we also offer an electrically conductive product with flame-retardant qualities: SIMONA® PP-EL-S. PP-EL-S is used mainly in ventilation engineering.

– Polyvinyl chloride (PVC-U) PVC-U is characterised by its high strength and rigidity. The operating temperature range extends from 0°C to +60°C. PVC-U displays a good resistance to inorganic and organic chemicals, as well as oxidising media. SIMONA® PVC-U is not available as an electrically conductive product.

– Post-chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (PVC-C) Due to its high chlorine content, PVC-C possesses an excellent chemical resistance particularly to strong acids, alkaline solutions and salts, making PVC-C an ideal material for use in the chemical process industry. The operating temperature range extends from -40°C to +95°C. SIMONA® PVC-C is not available as an electrically conductive product.

– Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) PVDF is a partially fluorinated high-performance material featuring a broad operating temperature range from -30°C to +140°C and offering resistance to almost all organic and inorganic media. In addition to its flame retardant properties, PVDF is physiologically safe and particularly weather-resistant.
SIMONA® PVDF-EL (electrically conductive PVDF) has the following properties:

Excellent chemical resistance

High resistance to UV rays

High rigidity and toughness even at low temperatures

Low flammability

Weldable

Suitable for hot forming and vacuum forming

– Ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (E-CTFE) E-CTFE is a partially fluorinated high-performance material with the broadest temperature range – from -40°C to +150°C – within the SIMONA product portfolio. E-CTFE is extremely resistant to chemicals – even in the alkaline range. In addition to its flame retardant properties, it is physiologically safe and particularly weather-resistant. E-CTFE is not available as an electrically conductive product.

– SIMONA® Liner Materials Electrically conductive PE, PP and PVDF are also available with a range of special backings for use in composite engineering. For further information, please contact SIMONA’s Technical Service Centre or a member of our sales staff.

SIMCHEM ONLINE which is a reliable and comprehensive guide when it comes to determining the chemical resistance of materials used in its products. It lists more than 4,500 substances and proprietary products. It also includes valuable information about its products and materials. All information provided in the list of chemicals and proprietary products reflects SIMONA’s current scope of knowledge and experience.

SIMONA’S ATEX PRODUCT RANGEconsists of electrically conductive semi-finished plastics designed for ATEX – Atmosphère Explosible which is the abbreviated name of the European Directive 2014/34/EC for explosion-proof electrical and mechanical equipment, components and protective systems. SIMONA’S 40 years of experience and the electrically conductive plastics it has developed can be used in devices and protection systems that are subject to ATEX Directives and offers a comprehensive range of materials from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). Special soot particles are added to the above-mentioned materials, thus making them electrically conductive.

SIMONA®SmartTankis SIMONA’s latest program for the calculation of rectangular and cylindrical tanks in accordance with DVS. Featuring state of-the-art methods of numerical computation, the program offers the very best quality in terms of user-friendly application and structural design output. SIMONA® SmartTank has an intuitive user interface and includes a highly efficient project management function. SIMONA’s website provides direct access to project management and support of Dr. Ingo Lukas, Ingenieurbüro für konstruktiven Ingenieurbau (IFKI).